Zanu-PF sets up special action panel

ZANU-PF has formed a special panel whose mandate is to ensure that resolutions from the just-ended 16th Annual National People's Conference are actioned by Government for a speedy economic turnaround, it has been established.

At the same time, starting nexth month, the party will crack the whip on its Members of Parliament as it seeks to ensure that it's legislators meet the people's needs.

A special panel, headed by Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration and Home Affairs Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo, will keep all ministers in check, while the party's National Assembly Chief Whip Lovemore Matuke will follow up on programmes initiated by MPs in their constituencies.

The panel will meet on Mondays, starting this January, to action resolutions of the 16th Zanu-PF Annual National People's Conference which largely focused on economic revival.

It will link this implementation matrix to Cabinet ministers' work programmes around the four Zim-Asset clusters — Food Security and Nutrition; Social Services and Poverty Reduction; Infrastructure and Utilities and Value Addition and Beneficiation.

Steps will also be taken in the direction of anti-factionalism, promoting unity and rallying behind President Mugabe, Zanu-PF's 2018 presidential election candidate.

One the other hand, MPs will be scored on performance once the Constituency Development Fund kicks in next year.

Dr Chombo told our Harare Bureau, "It is not right to say that we are not implementing resolutions from Conference. We may not please everyone, but we have come up with a watertight implementation matrix that is results-driven.

"In my view, these resolutions were borne out of the performance of the party and performance of Government in line with the objectives of the Zim Asset economic blueprint.

"So, when I look at the Conference, it was a resounding success. The main purpose was to give reports to delegates on how they have performed against their mandate.

"We had economic resolutions that were proposed, and these are going to be implemented by Government through the four clusters of Zim Asset."

Dr Chombo said the Monday meetings will assess whether the resolutions are being implemented.

"The chairpersons of these clusters will be handed the resolutions that relate to their respective portfolios. I and (Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa) will then work to cluster the resolutions so that each cluster chair knows what they are supposed to do.

"So, what is now going to happen is that we will be holding meetings every Monday, which I will chair, and get updates from ministers on what specific programmes have taken shape and those which need attention."

He continued: "The Monday meetings will be attended by cluster chairpersons, as I mentioned earlier, and any other key departments in the party which may be invited in the event of a burning issue they want resolved.

"The meetings will be to ensure that the administrative machinery of the party works at full throttle. We will look at each resolution from the Conference and take it to the responsible cluster to see if it has been implemented. So, those who are responsible for their respective clusters will be made accountable.

"Furthermore, Zim Asset has a lifespan, which ends in 2018. We will be monitoring how targets are being met. We are in a race against time; so both the party and Government are cognisant of the need to work extra hard to achieve our objectives."

The panel will also consider the state of Zanu-PF.

"(Zanu-PF National Political Commissar Saviour) Kasukuwere heads that portfolio (state of the party). In 2017, we are not going to accept any silly disputes that cause divisions in the party. Members should understand that the time to fight ourselves is over and we need to face the opposition as a united front," Dr Chombo said.

Themed "Moving with Zim-Asset in Peace and Unity", the Conference held in Masvingo from December 16 to 18 saw Cabinet ministers apprise delegates on their respective portfolios.

Minister Chinamasa projected better economic performances in 2017, saying Zimbabwe was on the right path despite United States cash shortages and low productivity, among other challenges.

He cited Statutory Instrument 64, which restricts importation of products that can be manufactured locally, and Command Agriculture as major catalysts to the envisaged growth.

Industry and Commerce Minister Dr Mike Bimha said industrial capacity utilisation had variably increased, with his Transport and Infrastructural  Development counterpart, Dr Joram Gumbo, weighing in with an update on the dualisation of the Harare-Chirundu-Beitbridge highway, which, he said, will have massive economic spin-offs.

Yesterday, Matuke said Zanu-PF will assess its MPs' work since their election in 2013, and "appropriate action will be taken" against non-performers.

"It has been difficult to assess MPs. For example, it is unfair to judge that a certain MP has built a bridge for his/her constituency and that another has not.

"Their means of funding could be different, and there is no uniform benchmark to judge them. However, we expect the Constituency Development Fund Bill, which is now before Parliament, to be enacted into law so that all MPs receive US$50 000 from the fund.

"Once the money is released, we will then be able to visit each constituency to see if the money has been put to good use. The assessment will also seek to determine if MPs were able to achieve the three functions of oversight, representation and legislation."

The Zanu-PF Chief Whip added: "We are also going to look into the work of National Assembly portfolio committees and Senate thematic committees to see what ground they have covered in accordance with the work plans they gave us.

"So, in January 2017, we are going to rate the committees; if they did not achieve what they set out to do, Zanu-PF members on those committees will be dropped or moved around."